Kosova Daily Report #1651, 98-12-30

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Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1651
Prishtina, 30 December 1998

CONTENTS

[01] Kosova Parliament's President Calls for NATO Intervention in Kosova

[02] Albanians Killed and Passing Away with a Mark of Shame

[03] One More Killed Albanian Found in His Home in Llapashtic&, Podujeva

[04] Serb Regime Company Bans Publication of Bujku

[05] Albanians Killed in Mitrovica Were Pursued as Terrorists by Serb Police

[01] Kosova Parliament's President Calls for NATO Intervention in Kosova

Idriz Ajeti, the Parliament's leader and chairman of the Kosova Academy of Sciences and Arts, presented the views of the Kosova top legislative body on the events of this outgoing year.

The 'FRY' President Slobodan Milosevic has been implementing policies advocated by the notorious anti-Albanian Serb academic, Vasa Cubrilovic, who as early as in the 1930s advocated the expulsion of Albanians from Kosova en masse regardless of what European governments said, Idriz Ajeti said, referring to the Serbian aggression of this year.

The independence of Kosova, the political will of the people expressed in a democratic referendum, should be implemented by peaceful and political means, Idriz Ajeti said, uttering the official policy of the mainstream Kosova institutions.

The current legislature of the Parliament of the Republic of Kosova met in its plenary, inaugural session on 16 July 1998 in the midst of the Serbian military aggression launched back in February/March.

A new Kosova Government has not been formed yet. "There is no justification for this delay", Ajeti said, adding that the Republic's government should be built within the existing state structures in Kosova. "A wide consensus amongst the political parties has not been reached" yet on the formation of such a broadly-based Government, because political parties that did not take part in the elections of 22 March were pressing for the formation of other bodies, such as the much-talked about 'Assembly', "outside the structures of the current Parliament and without a due election process, which is something we do not find reasonable/justifiable", Idriz Ajeti said, referring, but not mentioning by name, the opposition bloc of small non- parliamentarian parties, the LBD (the Unified Democratic Movement) chaired by Rexhep Qosja.

"The emergence of the Ushtria ^lirimtare e Kosov&s (U^K, Kosova Liberation Army) marks a turning point in the invigoration of the Albanian movement for independence of Kosova", the President of the Parliament of Kosova said. The U^K is the "defense of this empty- handed people from the Yugoslav army and police barbarity", Ajeti said, adding that the U^K belongs to all the people, and not to any particular party.

Idriz Ajeti condemned in the strongest terms the latest Serb offensive against the Llapi region's villages in north Kosova, which has left 17 Albanians killed late last week.

The Parliament of the Republic of Kosova called on the international community to intervene here. "NATO troops should intervene in Kosova, so as to stop immediately the bloodshed and avert a large-scale conflict which would engulf the entire region," Idriz Ajeti said, calling for a demilitarization of Kosova and the creation of a temporary international protectorate pending a lasting resolution based on the 1991 independence referendum.

Meanwhile, Rexhep Qosja, leader of the LBD, held a separate press conference in Prishtina, in which he said three main political groupings have been identified in the wake of the Serbian aggression this year: "the U^K, as the main national force; the LBD, as a political force made up of six parties and movements; and the LDK with the so-called parliamentarian parties".

[02] Albanians Killed and Passing Away with a Mark of Shame

The Serbian regime had announced late in the summer it was creating a local police force, composed of ethnic Albanians, who would prevent the U^K (Kosova Liberation Army) from returning to areas the Albanian population would return to after being displaced amidst the Serb military and police offensives in western and southern Kosova.

Later it turned out that such people - U.S. KDOM was referring to one of the Albanians, killed in the autumn in the Gjakova area, as an ethnic Albanian 'coordinator for security' - have been recruited elsewhere in Kosova, in areas not targeted directly by the Serbian aggression earlier this year, such as the town of Mitrovica, for instance.

The late Naser Haziri, killed a week ago by unknown assailants in a cafeteria in Mitrovica - was not a member of the local Serbian police, the Koha Ditore daily carried today the denial of the family and its own correspondent from the town, who had referred to Haziri as such a member. "The late Naser Haziri was not a member of the local Serb police", the denial reads in today's Koha Ditore.

The U.S. KDOM Daily Report, December 28, speaks of "privately-hired police", likewise composed of local Albanians.

The Serb police chief in Ferizaj ('Urosevac') was quoted as saying "that privately-hired police are guarding the water supply, and said the had heard of no problems between the guards and villagers". KDOM went on to quote the police chief as saying "an Albanian who had been hired by the police to work in their warehouse had been kidnapped by the KLA (U^K) and taken to Petrovo (south of Shtime)".

Call them whatever - the terminology varying between 'coordinators for security' to 'local Serb police composed of Albanians' or 'privately-hired police' - Albanians are being killed and passing away with a mark of shame as collaborators.

So, the question rightfully poses itself: were Hysen Byty^i and Mehmet Krasniqi members of the "local security force established earlier in the year by Serbian authorities and composed of local ethnic Albanians", as Reuters said, quoting Sandy Bly, a spokesman for the monitors. Where did Sandy Bly get it at all? From the Serb regime?

Albanians buried in Dushanov& with all due homage by their compatriots Hundreds of Albanian citizens and representatives of political parties in the municipality of Prizren took part in the funeral of Husen Byty^i and Mehmet Krasniqi in the Dushanov& cemetery today (Wednesday) afternoon, LDK sources said.

The two Albanians were killed Monday evening in the "Landovica Commerce" firm. Hysen, a night watchman in the firm was formerly a member of the Kosova police force, now a member of the Albanian-run Police Trade Unions. Both he and Mehmet Krasniqi, a local Albanian activist, were residents of Dushanov& village, the LDK said.

In a funeral speech, Vllaznim Byty^i, member of the Police Trade Unions leadership for Prizren, said Hysen Byty^i, "who did never agree with the Serb occupation regime", had returned in 1991 all the rewards/awards that he had received during his work in the police force before being kicked out by Serbs, when Belgrade suspended the Kosova police force in 1990.

Vllaznim Byty^i accused the Serb secret police for the killing of Hysen Byty^i and Mehmet Krasniqi. Three days ago, Hysen had been held in Serb police custody in Prizren and threatened for his trade unions activities, he said during the funeral of his colleague.

[03] One More Killed Albanian Found in His Home in Llapashtic&, Podujeva

Bajrushi was killed during the Serb attack against Llapashtic& village on Thursday, 24 December. His house was damaged when it was hit by Serb shells.

At least 15 Albanians were killed in the Podujeva villages these days, not counting in this death toll two dead persons, whose bodies were spotted near 'Tabet e Llapashtic&s', near the location where Serb military forces have been stationed.

The fate of three other local Albanians, Miftar Zejnullahu, Ilir Humolli and Rexhep Demiri (36), resident of Obran^&, is still unknown. They have gone missing around Christmas, when the Serb military and police troops with tanks and armoured vehicles launched a heavy offensive against Albanian settlements and U^K positions in the area.

A number of Albanian houses have been looted by Serb forces, the LDK chapter said, giving the names of some of the family heads whose houses were ransacked.

The town center of Podujeva was heavily patrolled by Serb military and police forces today, the chapter said.

[04] Serb Regime Company Bans Publication of Bujku

Bujku started publication after the banning of Rilindja, the Albanian newspaper which was published in Kosova for forty-five years, from 1945 through 1990.

The Serb occupation regime illegally took over Rilindja Company and its large property in 1993, and renamed it 'Panorama', to be run by Serbs alone.

The phantom Serb company Panorama, which has illegally taken over the Rilindja printing house (named 'Gracanica' now), banned the printing of the Bujku newspaper.

In a 'ruling', signed by the Panorama leadership, the Serb regime said the printing house employees dared not print the Bujku newspaper. "You are PROHIBITED in an explicit way to print 'Bujku'", reads the ruling. Those employees not abiding by the order would face criminal charges, the decision said.

Bujku newspaper has been forced to pay a large amount of money as a rent fee, although the Press Palace formerly belonged to Rilindja.

[05] Albanians Killed in Mitrovica Were Pursued as Terrorists by Serb Police

The two were killed in yet unsolved circumstances in the village of Shupkofc, in the outskirts of Mitrovica.

Three days earlier the two Albanians had their homes raided by police on terrorism-related accusations, the LDK said.

The LDK sources said Serb police arrested late last week Nuhi's brother, Daut Rrahmani (24), as a suspect for the killing of Naser Q. Haziri (23) and the wounding of Lulzim Ademi in the "Melisa" cafeteria in Mitrovica on 22 December.

Shemsi Balinca was arrested on 14 April in Mitrovica, and was brutally abused by the Serb police.

The LDK chapter in Mitrovica said EU and OSCE monitors had been informed about the persecution of Shemsi Balinca and Nuhi Rrahmani.

The monitors even visited their houses after the police raid, the chapter claims.

The Serb regime and its propaganda machinery have accused the Albanians for the killing of these two Albanians.

Meanwhile, local Albanian residents said the Gypsies killed on 27 December were in conflict with one another.

Gani Gushani (53) and his relatives Ilmi and Basri Gushani were killed that day. The Serb regime accused Albanian 'terrorists' for their killing.

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